Listen Taylor
by Dustbowl Dance
Summary: Edited repost. Basically a short fic about Taylor leading up to the afterparty and what happens during it. COMPLETE!


My First Chaylor Fic!!

"Listen, Taylor…"

"I don't know what I'm doing here," I said to my friend Gabriella. We were at an afterparty for the Wildcats' championship basketball game.

"Don't worry, Taylor," the bubbly brunette said. "You look awesome. I know Chad will think so too."

I blushed when she said that. I hadn't told anyone, but I was secretly falling for him. I knew it wouldn't work out, though. We were way too different. So instead of thanking Gabriella, I just said, "Whatever. Like I care what some overconfident basketball boy thinks."

Gabriella just gave me a look, like "_Stop playin', girl_," and walked off to find Troy. I scanned the room, looking for Chad, but when I couldn't find him, I just sat down and observed everyone.

I was always one of the smartest kids in my grade, and I always strived for perfection. Every day my mom would tell me how proud of me she was for being so smart before she dropped me off at school and headed off to her job, where she worked a thirteen-hour shift as a nurse at the hospital. My mom worked all the time and was underpaid, so I didn't always have the newest, coolest tool of the week. My dad lived across the country, and he didn't pay child support because he didn't know I was alive. My parents had divorced while my mom was pregnant, and I guess she just never told him about me. Anyway, it didn't really matter that I didn't have as much as everyone else until about middle school, when everyone separated into cliques based on what they had. I isolated myself—who'd want to be friends with me? I knew my mom felt bad about not being able to give me more than what we had, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings. So I just stuck to my studies and pretended I didn't care that I never went to the mall with my friends or did anything after school.

In eighth grade my mom got a better job with better hours, although she was still underpaid. I made friends who were in position similar to mine, but I still felt like I was missing out, especially when high school came around and I almost never had I date come Friday night.

My mom tried her best to make me feel better. "Don't worry, baby," she'd tell me. "Someday a boy will see how special and beautiful you are and he'll flip for you. Just wait." So, despite my feeling to the contrary, I thrust myself back into my schoolwork. I always had this paranoid feeling that the other kids were making fun of me, even though now that I think about it they probably weren't, so I developed this sarcastic attitude towards everyone who I thought was "better off" than me.

The top of the list was the popular group, including Troy and Chad. And as much as I hated them, it seemed the feeling was mutual. And even though I would snap back at them when they made their jokes, it still hurt. It continued until the second semester of junior year, when Gabriella moved here. Apparently, over winter vacation, she and Troy, king of the popular sports kids, had met. They hit it off right away. I knew this girl was nice, and the populars would eat her alive. Also, I was a little bitter, and I didn't want to admit that Troy and his friends could be nice. So, as I befriended Gabriella, I tried to talk her out of hanging out with Troy. At the same time, Chad was doing the same thing. So when we learned about the musical callbacks, we came up with the "picture perfect" plan to separate them. Teaming up with Chad wasn't as bad as I though it would be. Even though he acted ridiculous most of the time, he was also pretty funny.

But the plan backfired. Troy and Gabriella were miserable. I felt miserable for making my friend upset, so once again, Chad and I teamed up, this time to fix the mistake we had made. Eventually, everything worked out for the best, and Troy and Gabriella got the parts they wanted. I was supposed to meet Chad here, at the afterparty.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" a voice asked, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see who it was, and I got butterflies in my stomach and I almost couldn't speak. Standing before me was Chad.

"Yeah, sure, go ahead," I answered. I was surprised I could even talk.

"Awesome." He sat down and made himself comfortable. "Oh hey—check out Zeke and Sharpay."

"Yeah," I replied as I watched the drama queen cozy up to the tall basketball player who recently confessed to having a passion for baking. A few weeks ago, when everyone found out about Troy and Gabriella's audition, a lot of other kids came out with confessions about their secret hobbies. Zeke was one of them. "Can you believe the weirdness of it?"

"What's so weird about two people who have feelings for each other? It's no weirder than Gabriella and Troy, or Jason and Kelsi, or…" he trailed off.

"Or who?" I asked cautiously. My heart was racing, and the butterflies in my stomach started up again. How could he sit there and look so cute??? It just didn't seem fair that the first guy I had liked in a long time would never give me the time of day.

"Well…never mind. It's not important." Chad looked away quickly and didn't say anything more.

"Are you sure--"

"Yeah. Umm…. I think I have to go now," he mumbled quickly and left.

I was crushed. I felt certain that he was going to ask me out! I searched the house to find Gabriella and tell her all about what just happened. However, I found her in the middle of kissing Troy. I felt really embarrassed on having walked in on them kissing, so I just left the room and ran out into the backyard, where I found Chad standing in the garden by himself.

"Why can't I just say it?" he was saying to himself. "Taylor, I--"

"What were you saying about me?" I asked curiously.

"Oh—um, nothing," Chad replied, and for once he was the one blushing. "I was just—I don't know."

"Do you want to talk about it?" _Please let him ask me out!! Can't the lunkhead basketball boy see that I'm in love with him???_

"No…I was just thinking, that's all."

"Yeah. You know some people do that all day long!" I said teasingly, trying to lighten the situation.

Chad's face, however, was dead serious.

"Listen, Taylor, I…"

"Yeah?" I said softly, stepping closer to him. _Oh my god, even when he's nervous he is so cute!! I wonder why he's nervous? Could it be—_

"I've gotta go."

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The next day, I woke up feeling way disappointed. I mean, who wouldn't be? I was so close!! And yet so far. After all, he didn't ask me out. I sulked around all morning, sitting in bed eating pudding and watching reruns of The Breakfast Club on Lifetime. I spent most of my time lost in my thoughts. I was so frustrated!!!!! How could it be that he seemed so nervous when I talked to him, and yet he wouldn't answer my questions, or really say anything to me for that matter. I just couldn't understand everything that had happened last night. He was really nice to me, and of course he was totally cute, but it really seemed like there was more to him than he was letting me see.

I was moping around so much I almost didn't answer when Gabriella called. I finally answered and told her all that had happened the previous night. I was freaking out, although she said nothing.

"Relax, Taylor," she said calmly. "I'm sure everything will work out on its own."

"Easy for you to say. You got the boy you wanted!"

"Oh, so you _do_ like him?" she asked, obviously amused. Before I could say anything, though, the doorbell rang.

"Hey, girl, I'll call you back later."

I walked over to the door and guess who was standing there?

Remember when I was so surprised that I couldn't speak? Yeah, that pretty much happened again.

"Hey, Taylor," he said quietly. "Before you slam the door in my face or anything like that, I came here to talk to you about what happened last night. I just wasn't really myself."

"You didn't do anything."

"I know. That's the point."

_What was he talking about?_

"It's just that I was acting kinda strange, and I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Really, it's okay. I mean, nothing happened."

"I _know_. That's why I'm here."

I was way too confused to see where this was going.

"Um, do you want to come in?"

"No, but there's something I wanted to tell you."

"Okay, shoot."

But instead of saying anything, he leaned over and kissed me. I don't know how long we stood on my doorstep kissing, but I know it felt totally perfect. When he stopped, Chad just said, "I wanted to do that for a long time."

"Since when?"

"Since this whole thing started."

"Wow." What could I say to that? I mean, sure, it wasn't the most eloquently put statement, but still. _He kissed me!!!!!!!!_

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked.

And I said yes.

END!!!!

A/N: I know this is kind of corny, but I really like it. Yeah, it looks a little different because I edited it, but I thought it looked more professional. Please let me know if this is an improvement. Also, if you liked this, check out my fic My First Love—it's another Chaylor fic, but extended.


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